Raise Your Weapon
by imafuckingparadox
Summary: Katniss and Peeta are finally safe from the horrors of the Games. But now that they're back in District 12, other obstacles will get in their way. Maybe an obstacle named Gale? Rated M for language/lemon.
1. Chapter 1

**Raise Your Weapon**

**Chapter 1**

**A/N: **Hiya! This is my first ever Hunger Games fanfic, following the lives of Katniss, Peeta and Gale after the first Games. I plan on it being atleast 9 chapters long, updated (hopefully) once a week. I hope you enjoy the story, and when you're through reading the chapter, I'd appreciate a nice review! Thank you :)

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><p>Peeta and Katniss stepped off the train onto the platform. There was a huge crowd surrounding them, asking questions and shouting congratulations. But only Peeta was paying attention to the fans. Katniss, however, was captivated by another familiar face that stood out among the people.<p>

How wonderful it was to see his face again, her best friend and hunting partner for so many years. She grinned just as soon as she saw him, standing there with muscled chest, his broad shoulders, his wavy brown hair perfectly in place, as it always was. He seemed to be watching something else intently, so she waved her hand. A smile crept upon his face as he caught sight of her, but... his smile seemed forced. Something was wrong. She'd need to find out what—

Suddenly, something grabbed fiercely at her knees. She felt bony arms encircle the back of her legs, their grip vise-like, almost painful.

"Prim!"

The young girl had dropped to her knees before her sister. Katniss had to pry her hands apart, and when she let go, Katniss picked her up and wrapped her arms tightly around the girl, gently stroking her hair.

"You kept your promise," Prim half-whispered, half-cried. She was shaking uncontrollably.

Katniss pulled back and grinned. "Prim, have I ever let you down before?"

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><p>Katniss and Peeta settled themselves down in their respective homes in the Victor's Village. They enjoyed their hearty meals and soft beds. They both took baths, not as fancy and elaborate as in the Capitol, but still incredibly relaxing. They didn't have to worry about anyone showing up with a spear or a knife and trying to slit their throats. For a while, they had peace. For a while, all was good.<p>

The next morning, Peeta was at her door, suggesting he and Katniss go for a walk. And so they went.

* * *

><p>Katniss wasn't paying attention to where they were headed. She kept her eyes to the ground, kicking around pebbles and listening to Peeta's deep, soothing voice. For a while her mind wandered, and she was no longer listening to Peeta.<p>

"Katniss. Katniss!" he shouted.

Her head snapped up, and she noticed they were walking along the border, a few feet away from the fence that seperated them from the woods. The tall grass surrounding them was swaying in the wind. It was a beautiful day, just sunny enough to be warm, but cool enough to wear a light jacket.

"Have you been listening to anything I just said?"

"Yes," she said quickly.

He pursed his lips, raising his eyebrows.

"Really? What _was _I saying?"

"Something about how much you love me and how you always forgive me when I zone out during our conversations?"

He chuckled, and his eyes sparkled in the bright sunlight. He stepped closer to Katniss and took her hands into his own. He inclined his head toward her and murmured, "Actually, you're kind of right."

Her heart leapt into her throat as she realised what he was probably about to say. And sure enough, he did:

"Katniss, I've been thinking a lot about what happened between us during the games. And I want you to know that, for me, it wasn't acting. I care about you—a lot, and I think about you all the time."

He closed the space between them and brushed her right cheek with the back of his fingers. He smiled.

Katniss' first instinct was to run away. He was close, too close. And though they'd been much closer in the arena, it was different now that she was back in District 12. The feelings were real, _his _feelings were real, and from the way her heart was hammering in her chest, she could tell that she wanted him, too, she cared, too, but couldn't possibly find the words to tell him, because she wasn't used to this kind of intimacy and openness.

"If I had to be stuck in the arena with anyone from this district, I'm glad it was you," she said lamely. She had no other way of telling him—

Peeta laughed again. "In other words?"

That bastard. He wanted her to spit it out. But she couldn't, she just couldn't. "I—I, uh," she stammered. She set her mouth into a tight line and huffed. "Ah, fuck it."

She placed her hands on the back of his neck and pulled him to her. Her lips met his perfectly, as if they were meant for one another. Everything around them fell away for a while as they lost themselves in each other. He explored her mouth with his tongue, as his hands felt freely around her body. They tasted each other, breathed each other in, and when they finally pulled away, they were both gasping for breath.

"That was... good," Peeta panted.

"Uh-huh." Katniss laughed, her brilliant white teeth gleaming in the sun. The boy reached for her braid and fiddled with the end of it idly.

"So, what now, my dear?"

"'My dear'? Really, Peeta? What are we, eighty?"

"Hey! It's not that bad," he said defiantly, then sighed. "Fine, I'll come up with a good permanent nickname for you. But what shall we do in the meantime?" he asked in an exaggerated Capitol accent.

"Well, your usage of the word 'dear' reminds me. How 'bout we go shoot some birds, maybe a deer if we get lucky?"

Peeta's eyes flicked to the forest beyond the fence, then back to Katniss. "What, in _there_?"

Katniss gaped at him. "You just spent weeks in a forest. A forest full of teenagers out to kill you, no less! What are you afraid of?"

He rubbed his lips together. "Well," he said slowly, "_this _forest in an unregulated area, and if we get caught, we could be—"

"Peeta. Get real. You know I come here almost every day and never get caught." She took his hand tentatively, and squeezed it in reassurance. "What's _really _bothering you?"

He looked away, and seemed to be captivated by the strings that laced his black boots. He shook his blond hair out of his eyes and mumbled, "I onow howshoo..."

"I—I'm sorry, what?"

"I don't know how to shoot," he said, so loud that a flock of birds flew out of a tree in the distance.

Katniss laughed. It was a real laugh, so pure and vibrant that Peeta forgot his shame and chuckled as well.

"You're too cute," Katniss surprised herself by saying. "I can teach you, if you want."

When Peeta hesitated, she said, "C'mon, it'll be fun, I promise. And, if you're a good student, you might just get a reward." She was new at this whole flirting business, so she threw in a wink just to be on the safe side.

"Well, well, well. Look who's learning to have a heart."

At this, she snorted and pushed him, causing him to fall into the dirt, flat on his ass.

Katniss smirked. "Bastard."


	2. Chapter 2

**Raise your weapon**

**Chapter 2**

**A/N: **Hey guys! Listen, I need to rant. I apologize in advance for my language.

Okay. Okay, okay, okay. Recently, people have been telling me (in a few of my stories) that the characters are OOC. Before anyone else makes that comment, let me just say SHUT THE FUCK UP. Normally, I'm open to all kinds of constructive criticism, but this specific comment pisses me off. It's called . It means I can take the characters and do whatever the hell I want with them. If I wanted another story exactly like the books, I'd ask Suzanne Collins to write another one. But I am not her and this is not a real book and it's fine if you want Peeta and Katniss to stay in character in the series, but this is fanfic and things will happen that normally wouldn't happen in the books. If you don't get that, you're completely missing the point of this site.

Now, in this story, yes, the characters are very, very OOC. Okay? If you don't like it, you can leave.

That is all.

Now, to those of you who like the story the way it is, I very much hope you enjoy this chapter :)

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><p>Peeta dreamt.<p>

_She stood on the other side of the river, wearing the clothes she'd had on in the arena. _It's the same river_, Peeta realised. _We're back in the Hunger Games.

"_Katniss!" he shouted over the loud roar of the rushing water. "Katniss, there's a rocky ledge over there, you can jump over to this side!"_

_She didn't move, didn't even acknowledge his presence. He leaned forward, a dark look crossing his face. "Katniss," he repeated. Still, she kept her blank stare, as if completely disconnected._

_Suddenly, the bushes behind her rustled, and Peeta's heart nearly stopped._

"KATNISS!_"_

_A figure emerged from the forest behind her. It was Cato, here to kill her, he would _kill _her—_

_But then light spilled over the intruder's face, and it was Gale, it was only Gale. Wait, _Gale? _What was he doing in the arena?_

_He moved closer to Katniss and rested his hands on her waist, pulling her close. "You can't have her," he said, his voice loud and clear. It echoed in Peeta's mind, reverberating against the inner walls of his head. "She's mine," Gale sneered. And he placed his hands on her arms, stroking them, and buried his face in her hair, kissed her neck. Her turned his gaze back to Peeta, his eyes burning viciously red._

_Anger surged through the blond boy. He clenched his fists and yelled, "You're wrong! She loves me, she told me so."_

_Gale laughed. "She lied." And with that, he grabbed Katniss by her breasts and dragged ger backwards into the forest._

_Peeta heard Katniss's high-pitched scream, and as pain and guilt and heartbreak washed over him, the dream faded away into blackness._

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><p>Peeta sat up quickly in bed, heaving deep breaths. His forehead and the back of his neck were drenched in sweat, his sheets tangled between his legs. He swiftly jumped out of bed, his heart still hammering, and turned on the bathroom faucet. He splashed cold water on his face, enjoying the quick relief it brought him.<p>

He lay back down in bed, the sheets in a heap on the floor. It was hot, way too hot. Or was it just him?

He knew about Gale. It was obvious; he'd grown up seeing Katniss with him all the time, at school, at the market, everywhere. He knew Gale had feelings for her; after all, that was what made all the girls resent Katniss. But Peeta didn't think she returned the feelings to Gale; she had told himshe was glad he was in the arena with her... he guessed that was as close Katniss would ever get to telling him she liked him.

But now Peeta realised just how tough the competition was. Gale would do everything in his power to keep them apart, and Peeta couldn't bear to lose Katniss to Gale; he would need to step up his game.

He would need to make Katniss love him, love him the way he loved her.

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><p>At some point during the night, Peeta had fallen back to sleep, because he was startled awake at the sound of a loud rapping on his window. He lifted his head and saw Katniss's face staring at him through the glass. He scrambled out of bed, ran to the window and opened it, a fresh breeze hitting him like a wave. For a moment he was stunned at the sight of her, the rising sun to her back, stray hairs floating around her head, caught in the light wind.<p>

"Wha— How did you—?" he peered at her feet and saw she was standing on a thick branch that swayed slightly under her.

"_Are you_ _quite possibly_ _insane?_" he said, too loud, and she clamped a hand on his mouth. She placed a finger to her lips, her giggle whistling through her teeth. She grabbed the sides of the windowframe, and Peeta stumbled back as she hauled herself into his bedroom.

"Be quiet, will you? It's fucking five o'clock in the morning."

Peeta spluttered. "And what the hell do you think you're _doing _here at _five o'clock in the morning?_"

Katniss strode to his bedside table and picked a perfectly green apple from the fruit bowl. "I _came _here to get you ready for our hunting lesson today," she said around a mouthful of fruit.

"I don't suppose you could've used the front door?"

"Man, you're cranky in the morning."

"And you're very hyper in the morning."

"I'm a huntress. I get up early. It's what I do."

"Right." Peeta peeled off his white undershirt, revealing his bare chest to Katniss. She couldn't help but stare at the perfectly sculpted outlines of his body, his biceps well toned but not bulging, his shoulders broad and his waist thin. She wanted so much to just reach out and touch him, to pull down the waistband of his shorts, stupid fucking waistband, why did it have to be there?

"Careful, Katniss. You're getting drool on my new floors."

She threw the core of her apple at him, which he dodged at the last second.

"I'll be waiting outside," she said as she headed for the door.

"Okay. Exit through the _front door_ this time."

She spun on her heel and strode toward him menacingly, and he put his hands up in front of him saying, "Please, don't push me again."

Katniss planted a quick kiss on his cheek and, to remind him that she never did what she was told, slid out the window, onto a tree branch and finally landed on solid ground.

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><p>When Katniss and Peeta reached the Meadow, she crouched beside the fallen tree trunk and pulled out her bow and quiver. She turned to Peeta, who stood a few feet away, and smiled. Then her head snapped up and she stared at something behind him. She notched her arrow and it flew a mere two inches by Peeta's head. He screamed at the last second and ducked. Something loud crashed through the bushes behind him, and Peeta had a sudden flashback of his nightmare that made his skin crawl. <em>Gale showing up behind her... Taking her away...<em>

He stood back up slowly, and noticed Katniss was rubbing her forehead, looking very disappointed.

"Peeta," she whined. "That deer would've been such a good catch!"

"Katniss, you don't need it, we've got more food than we could ever ask for in the Victor's Village."

"I know, it's just... I haven't shot a deer in a really long time..."

His eyes widened. "Do you not realise that you very nearly shot me in the face?" He tried to sound angry, but he found himself chuckling at the end of his sentence. He crossed his arms and leaned against a tree, puckering his lips into a pout.

Katniss came toward him, grinning. She stopped a few feet before him, placed her hands on her lap and drawled, "I'm sorryyy, Peeta-kins."

"Peeta-kins? Seems like I'm not the only one who uses horrible nicknames."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and moved closer, murmuring, "Oh, just shut up and kiss me."

Just as Katniss was about to lean in, a small gust of air blew between their faces, accompagnied by a sharp whooshing sound. She saw a glint of metal and, sure enough, she heard a loud _thud _as a knife hit the tree trunk beside them.

Katniss's gaze flew to the trees, searching for the source of the knife. She saw a huddled figure sprinting through the brush, away from them, back to the wired fence. She couldn't make out who the stranger was, but then she glanced at the knife and it was clear as day who had thrown it.

It was his knife. He used it to gut and skin their game. She'd seen it so many times that she could describe every inch of it, from the pommel to the tip of the blade. "Gale," she whispered.

But why would Gale throw a knife at her? Her intrigue and confusion must've shown on her face, because Peeta raised his eyebrows at her. "Are you seriously wondering why he would do such a thing?"

"What are you talking about?" she demanded.

"Well, it's obvious, isn't it?" Peeta replied, arrogantly popping the collar of his shirt and brushing off his shoulders. He rolled his eyes. "Gale's in love with me, and he can't stand to see me with you."

He said it jokingly, and so they laughed, brushed it off. But Peeta had no idea just how close to the truth he was.


	3. Chapter 3

**Raise Your Weapon**

**Chapter 3**

**A/N: **I'm guessing most of you Hunger Games fans are also Harry Potter fans, so you'll share the excitement with me when I say, "OH MY GOODNESS LORD JK ROWLING'S PUBLISHING A NEW BOOK!" Now I can officially die happy. (After I've read the book, of course.)

Anyyyyyhow, it's time for another chapter of Raise Your Weapon, woo! Time for you to discover just how fucked up Gale really is. Mouahhahahahahaa.. Enjoy, and don't forget to review at the end! :)

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><p>Katniss banged furiously on Gale's door. She waited for a moment, switching impatiently from one foot to the other. After what felt like forever, the door was opened by Gale's mother, Hazelle. She let Katniss know that Gale had gone to the Hob to do some trading.<p>

Katniss ran.

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><p>She finally arrived at the Hob, which was full to the brim with people. She ran down the little pathways between the stands, searching for his familiar face. Everyone around her was just a blur as she sped past them. It was so hot that day, and the heat was doubled by all the people moving around her. Some even grabbed at her, trying to talk to her about the Games, but she had no time for that. She needed to ask questions. She needed answers.<p>

Then she caught a glimpse of him. He stood at a table, trading game. She saw the distraught look on his face. Then he looked up, and they locked gazes. He shut his eyes slowly and started walking away.

"Gale! _Gale!_" Katniss yelled. She pushed through the people, so many people, so many _fucking _people. "Gale! Wait!"

He just kept walking.

She shoved people aside, jumping occasionally to make sure she was still on his trail. Finally, she reached him. He didn't even look at her when she grabbed his elbow and tried to stop him. So she matched his pace and tried not to scream her head off.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Gale?" she demanded.

"What?" he spat.

"I just want to talk to you!"

"Talk to me? Or yell at me?"

"You deserve to be yelled at!" she shouted. "What—wha—why—I don't even know what to say."

She rubbed her lips together and tried to blow off some steam. They finally were outside the Hob, with only the sky and the trees to overhear them. Katniss breathed in deeply and whispered, "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Gale, don't test my patience."

"I don't know what you're—"

"I want to know what unimaginable force compelled you to throw a fucking knife at me and Peeta."

Gale froze at the mention of Peeta. He stopped in his tracks and turned his face away. "So you saw me," he said.

"Gale..." Katniss rubbed her forehead in frustration. "I just got back from the Games. I thought you'd be happy to see me. I thought you wanted me to come out alive."

Suddenly, he turned back to Katniss and looked down at her, his jaw clenched, a hard look in his eyes. "Don't even fucking say that," he muttered. "You know I care about you, a lot. I'm so glad you won the Hunger Games. It's just. You don't belong with him, Katniss. There are better people suited for you, just not him."

"What?"

"What, what?"

"_What _are you talking about?" she insisted.

"I'm saying you shouldn't be with Peeta. You should be with someone else, and he should be with someone else. That simple enough for you?"

Katniss took a step back in shock. What did he mean? What exactly was he implying? Then, suddenly, it dawned on her, and she felt stupid for not realising it sooner.

_Oh, no._

Was Gale in love with _her_?She coudn't possibly deal with this. Not here, not now.

She couldn't love Gale, she _didn't _love Gale. She loved Peeta, she was sure of it. But how was she supposed to tell him?

She couldn't.

She couldn't.

Katniss backed up once more, then spun on her heel and ran home without once looking back.

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><p>Once she was in her bedroom, Katniss threw herself onto her bed and wrapped her arms around her legs. She sat there for a while with her chin resting on her knees, until Prim walked in and sat on the edge of her bed.<p>

Her blond hair was in two braids, and she was wearing a little blue dress. Prim always liked to look cute. And she always succeeded.

"Katniss," she said, stroking her sister's hair, "are you okay?"

The older one watched the sunlight streaming in through her window. It cast a rectangle of yellow on her dark floor. She listened to the birds chirping outside, and she even heard a Mockingjay singing a beautiful melody. She basked in the peace and quiet, trying to calm her nerves.

When she was ready to talk, Katniss shook her head minutely and whispered, "I'm not sure what's wrong with Gale."

Prim looked away for a moment and sighed. "I heard about what happened in the forest. I went down to the bakery today, and Peeta told me. So, Gale threw a knife between you two."

"Yes..." Katniss said slowly.

"So he obviously wants to keep you two apart."

"Uh-huh... Prim, do you know something I don't?"

Prim sucked in a deep breath and said, "C'mon, Katniss. Think about it. Why would Gale want to keep you and Peeta apart?"

Katniss wondered for a moment if she should tell Prim what she was thinking. She finally decided that her sister was here to help, and she should be honest with her. "Is, uh... is Gale in love with me?"

Prim gave a small smile. "I understand why you would think that. After all, it _is _what everybody else in the Seam thinks. But that's not it. Not quite."

Katniss unfolded herself and sat upright in front of her sister. "What else could it be?" she asked.

Prim raised her eyebrows and tilted her head to the side, begging Katniss with her eyes to understand. She didn't want to say it out loud. "What's the other alternative?"

"Gale... doesn't want to lose our friendship?"

Prim threw her head back and sighed exasperatedly. "No, Katniss! Why are you so oblivious? You, of all people, should see right through Gale's facade!"

"Okay, okay, just tell me already!"

"Katniss. Gale loves Peeta."

Katniss made a face. "Are you craz—?"

"Gale told me, Katniss. He told me so. Gale's in love with Peeta."

And the truth was finally out.


	4. Chapter 4

**Raise Your Weapon**

**Chapter 4**

**A/N: **You really can't understand how nervous I am about this chapter. It's the first time I'm writing a chapter like this, (I think you know what I mean, but anyway, you'll see) and I really do hope I did it right... So let me know what you think in a review. Enjoy! :)

P.S. All you guys who have been reading this story are really, really awesome. I wanna thank ya for all the reviews. You're the best!

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><p>That night, Katniss sat in her room for a long time, doing absolutely nothing in particular. She had her knees pulled up to her chin, her mind sluggishly mulling over the situation.<p>

She had no idea what to do about Gale. She searched and searched and searched of a way to spare his feelings, but she couldn't. It was impossible.

Katniss was not going to stay away from Peeta just to please Gale. She couldn't deny her own feelings just because of Gale's. She and Peeta were meant for each other—she thought that sounded cheesy, but it was kind of true—and she just _could not _stay away from him.

Finally, she made a decision.

She needed to make sure Peeta had eyes for her, and _only _her.

_I need to find him now, _she thought. _I won't be able to sleep without having ended this._

She glanced at her alarm clock and was surprised to see it was already past eleven. As Prim and her mother were fast asleep, she crept down the hallway on her tiptoes, slid easily down the banister and landed with a barely audible _thud_.

She was too much of a professional.

The soft click of a latch, the slow turn of a doornob, a single step forward, and she was almost swallowed by the darkness of the cool night.

* * *

><p>Peeta slid his window open once more, his eyes narrowed at her.<p>

"Again with the window."

Katniss swung herself in and pulled the curtains closed. "I'm just being considerate of you."

"You look like a raccoon."

"Thanks, Peeta. That's real nice of you."

"I'm not kidding," he said, nipping at loose strands of her hair. "Your hair's wild like an animal's, and you've got some really dark circles around your eyes." As he said it, he gently ran his thumb under her right eye, then held her face in both his hands. Katniss was vaguely aware of the fact that Peeta was wearing a sexy white button-up, and some rather tight-fitting blue boxers.

"Yeah," she mumbled, "I kinda need to talk to you about that."

Peeta immediately became protective. "Are you alright? Is everyone else okay?" He grabbed her hands. "_Did someone hurt you?_"

"No, no, no, calm down."

Katniss led Peeta to his bed. Together, they crawled under the covers and nestled up against each other. For a while, they both drifted away into the soothing calm of each other's presence. Then, Katniss propped herself up on her left elbow and looked down at her... boyfriend?

"Peeta?"

"Yes? What is it you needed to talk to me about?" He fiddled with her tangle of dark brown hair that was splayed across his pillow.

"What are we?"

Peeta's hand froze. "What do you mean?"

"You and I. What are we?"

"We're narwhals."

She glowered at him.

He laughed. "I don't know exactly." Pause. "Well... we _could _be lovers."

Ah. Now _that _was an interesting answer.

She raised her eyebrows at him.

"If you want to," Peeta added, and he lifted his head to give her a soft, lingering kiss. His head sunk back into his pillow and he grinned at the devious look on her face.

"Katniss, am I turning you on?"

"Hmm, that depends on your answer to my next question."

"Bombs away."

"Okay," she said. She sucked in a deep breath and murmured, "What would you do if... someone got, you know... between us?"

"Who are you talking about?"

"No one," Katniss said quickly. "Just suppose."

"Well," he started with a smile, "I don't think anyone ever _could_ get between us. Katniss, I love you. I always have, ever since the moment I first laid eyes on you. I have never gone a second without loving you. If it's possible, I fall even deeper every time you look me in the eyes."

And so, Katniss looked him directly in the eyes, and they both grinned, laughing under their breath. He took her hands in his and said in a deep, sexy voice, "Katniss Everdeen, I would go through the Hunger Games to be with you. You're all I've ever wanted."

Katniss wiped away the tears gathering in her eyes and sniffed. She nodded quickly. "Well, in _that _case, yes. Yes, you are _very much_ turning me on."

She moved closer to him, her lips crashing against his. He responded immediately, his arms encircling her, pulling her impossibly closer. Peeta turned her over onto her back and pressed his chest to hers, his hips grinding against her own.

She explored his mouth, her tongue twisting with his, and they both sighed at the same time. They had waited _so long _for this. Fianlly, they could literally lose themselves in each other.

Peeta moved his lips from Katniss' mouth down to her neck, gently sucking on the skin. His tongue ran along the length of her jaw and over to her ear. He licked behind it, and Katniss shivered. Soon she started moaning as he pushed his pelvis harder against her hips.

She reached for the buttons of his shirt and didn't stop short of ripping them off. Once he was bare-chested, she grabbed his shoulders and threw him onto the mattress.

"My turn," she whispered sexily.

Her tongue slid down his collarbone, over his perfectly sculpted chest and down to his stomach. She planted a soft kiss there, and he sucked in a sharp breath as she pulled down the waistband of his navy blue boxers.

She grinned up at him deviously as she took his member in her hand and licked it slowly from base to tip. A few more seconds of teasing, then she'd had enough. She took his entire length into her mouth, and a shudder ran through Peeta's body. She sucked and licked, but didn't keep a constant rhythm. She wanted to surprise him. And he _was _surprised, especially when she suddenly moved her mouth to his balls and flicked her tongue between the pair.

He moaned, then grabbed her hair and pulled her toward him hungrily. "Get up here," he panted.

Their lips met again, and once more Peeta flipped Katniss onto her back. His mouth never left hers as he pulled down her sweatpants and his fingers moved under her panties.

He rubbed her soft spot with his first two fingers. She gasped, biting down hard on his lip. He took this as a good sign and slowly pushed one finger inside her. She stopped kissing him and arched her back, letting out something between a scream and a moan.

He pushed his finger in deeper, then slowly added another. He pumped them in and out at a steady pace, then slid down her body and pressed his lips to her bundle of nerves. She started squirming under him, unused to the immense amount of pleasure he brought her.

"Oh, _fuck!_" Katnis whispered furiously.

He flicked her clit once with his tongue, then pushed it up inside her. Katniss' hands fisted in his hair, her hips bucking wildly as she grinded into his face. She did everything she could to keep from crying out.

An electric pulse coursed through her body. She was on fire. She was in a paradise of pure ecstacy. And Peeta, Peeta was filled with an insatiable hunger for her body. When she came, she moaned loudly, and Peeta lapped at her slit, making sure he got every ounce of her. She tasted so _fucking good_.

After one final lick, Peeta moved back up to her lips, gazing deep into her eyes. Then he peered down at her tank top. He pulled the hem of it over her head and tossed it aside. He didn't removed her bra, though. He pushed the top of her left cup down, revealing her breast. He took as much of it as he could into his mouth, licking around her pink nipple.

"Peeta," Kantiss moaned. He stopped sucking and looked at her. She kissed him deeply and whispered, "Make me come."

That was all he needed.

He placed himself at her entrance, playfully rubbing the tip of his throbbing member against her wet slit.

He gazed at her once more as if to say, "Are you ready?"

She nodded, placing her hand on the back of his neck. "I love you too, Peeta."

He pushed forward, and Katniss bit her lip to keep from screaming.

They moved as one. Together, they fell over the edge into mind-numbing bliss.


	5. Chapter 5

**Raise Your Weapon**

**Chapter 5**

**A/N: **I'm sorry. I'm really, truly sorry that it's taken me over a month to update. School's been crazy, and I've been busy with other stuff as well. I realize most of you won't remember what's happening so here's a quick summary: Katniss and Peeta love each other. Katniss finds out Gale's gay for Peeta (haha) and decides to sleep with Peeta anyway. That's pretty much it. So I'll just stop talking and hope you enjoy this chapter! Don't forget to review :)

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><p>The next morning, Katniss slipped out of bed before Peeta even had a chance to wake up. She leaned over, and his eyelids fluttered as she kissed his forehead. "I love you," she whispered, loving the way her heart skipped a beat when she said it, and hoping he could hear her in his sleep.<p>

She dressed quickly, tiptoad downstairs, and made sure to close the front door softly behind her. She stood straight and watched her untied boot laces. She figured she needn't tie them, since her house was only fifty paces away.

Katniss made toward her home, but stopped dead in her tracks when her eyes locked with Gale's. He stood at her front door, waiting for whom she could only suppose was her, holding a couple animal traps in his clenched fists, a stony look on his face.

She took a step toward him, opening her mouth to say something, _anything _at all, but he leaped dodwn the front steps and left her there, stunned and ashamed.

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><p>She stood in the shower, letting the scalding-hot water wash over her, not caring about the burning feeling she would have when she got out. She scrubbed at her skin, trying to wash off the guilt that she was covered in.<p>

"This isn't how it's supposed to happen," she muttered angrily. "We're in love and so we slept together, and my friend should be _fucking _happy for me." She clenched her jaw, shaking her head. She raised her voice a notch. "I _shouldn't _feel guilty. I'm not responsible for how _anybody else _feels."

She leaned against the wall, out of the water's reach. She breathed in deeply and just before shutting off the water, she threw her head back and whispered, "Fuck, I hope Gale is okay."

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><p>The trees were everywhere. They were growing thickly, some trunks entwining, branches clawing at each other. In certain areas, the canopy of leaves blocked out all light from above. Birds sang, normal ones and mutations alike, Mockingjays and Jabberjays flew about, minding their day-to-day business. At the slightest hint of movement or the smallest sound, little animals went scrurrying back into their homes.<p>

And so, when Gale came crashing through the shrubs and the branches, squirrels scrambled back up their trees and rabbits leaped into their holes.

He stopped in the middle of a small clearing, breathing heavily, furiously wiping tears from his face. He kicked a pile of leaves, spitting on the ground.

Gale paced for a while, his head hanging, fists still clenched.

He was angry. A dangerous, reckless, bone-shaking kind of angry.

He wasn't angry with Katniss, no. His fury was directed purely at himself.

Why did he have these _feelings_?

Where the fuck did theur come from?

Why him?

He spat on the ground once more.

Fucking idiot, he thought. Fucking retard.

_Control your feelings, Gale. Keep them in check. You've already humiliated yourself in front of Katniss._

Katniss. She knew about his feelings. He saw the guilt on her face. Why else would she feel guilty?

_Unless, _Gale thought, _she thinks _I _love _her.

Gale dropped his head in his hands and growled. He needed to hunt, he told himself. He had to hunt to clear his head of the storm of thoughts that was giving him a pounding headache.

He heard a rustling of leaves behind him. It sounded like someone was coming. So he ran for a while longer, making certain that no one could've followed his trail and that he was far enough from the Seam that not a soul would hear him if he screamed.

Gale reached a small opening between the trees and stood still, listening intently. There was another shuffling of leaves, and Gale followed the sound, locating the source easily.

It was a rabbit, a big one with white fur. Its front paw was trapped under a mossy, fallen tree trunk and its hind legs were scrambling to pull it free.

Gale stood there for a while, watching the poor animal suffer, deliberating between helping it and killing it for dinner. After seeing the pain in the animal's eyes, he decided to put it out of its misery.

He kneeled by the rabbit, placing his hand on its side and pulling his pocketknife out. He positioned the blade between his spread-out fingers and promptly pushed it in, ceasing the rabbit's movements.

Gale just sat there, incredibly still, his hand still gripping the knife's handle. Tears streamed down his face, though he didn't know why. He guessed it was because he felt so helpless, as if he didn't have control over his own life, yet he still had the power to control this helpless animal's life.

What a stupid, useless thing feelings were. They were invisible little demons who took over your every thought, morphing you into someone you weren't, making you do unimaginably stupid things that you never would have done otherwise.

Feelings... feelings destroyed you. They were negative, always working against you. They brought out the worst in people. And now, Gale, because of his own feelings, was killing animals that he didn't _need _to kill. For once, just once in his life, he had more than enough food at home, and now he was killing innocent beings because he was incapable of controling the surge of emotions that rose to his throat every time he thought of Katniss and Peeta.

Anger coursed through him, making his hands shake. And so, when he abruptly pulled the knife out, the blade sliced a deep gash between his thumb and forefinger, halfway across the back of his hand.

Gale cried out, throwing the knife aside, and clutched his injured hand in his right one.

"Gale!" a voice shouted behind him.

Suddenly Katniss was by his side, tearing a strip off the hem of her shirt and messily bandaging his hand. Still, blood seeped through the fabric.

Gale was still gritting his teeth against the pain as Katniss sucked in a quick breath, hoisted him to his feet and yelled, "Come on! We have to get you to my mom."

Not being able to extend his arms made it harder for Gale to keep his balance as they leapt over tree trunks and bushes. By the time they reached Katniss' house, Gale's uninjured hand was covered in the blood that had drenched his makeshift bandage.

Katniss practically kicked the front door in, and Gale followed her to the kitchen. Prim instantly sprang out of her chair at the dinner table and rushed over to him.

Katniss stood int he doorway, panting, as her mother and sister bombarded Gale with questions and pulled herbs out of cabinets. When he turned to ask her how she'd found him, she was already out the front door.

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><p>She sat on her front doorstep, elbows on her knees, trying to push back the tears that pricked her eyes when she thought of the complete mess she was in.<p>

She needed comfort, and the only person who could offer her that was Peeta. Also, she really needed to tell him the truth about Gale. When she knocked on Peeta's door and received no answer, then later found his bedroom window was locked, she ran to the bakery.

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><p>Her heart pounded along to her footsteps as she jogged to the bakery. It felt so unnaturally heavy in her chest. She couldn't wait to see Peeta. Just the sight of him might even—<p>

Katniss skidded to a halt. She felt her heart sink into her stomach as she took a few more steps forward to confirm the gut-wrenching scene she thought she'd seen.

She had seen correctly.

Outside the bakery stood Peeta, his lips pressed to another girl's.


End file.
